We Are Family
by CaptainSwanLuver
Summary: Henry confronts Killian about secretly harboring the shears, which leads to Killian confessing to Emma and a heart-to-heart. Killian also reveals his connection to Captain Nemo to Emma.


**Spoilers:** Spec for episode 6x06. Based on the sneak peeks and promo.

 **Note** : Can't wait for tomorrow's episode. I love Killian-centric episodes. This is based on the sneak peeks and promo. I really need a conversation with Emma and Killian about her fate and I want him to tell her the truth about the shears. And this is how I hope Killian is connected to Captain Nemo. Hope you enjoy it! ~Steph

 **...We Are Family: Part 1/1...**

It eats at him. The lie. The deception. The betrayal. Minute by minute. Second by second. It doesn't matter how he justifies it in his mind, how he rationalizes it.

He just wants her to live. The thought of losing Emma after everything they've been through, after he was given a second chance at a future with her, is too much to bear.

He spent the first few nights staring at it as she slept beside him. He'd concealed it in his boot and once she had drifted off to sleep, he would retrieve the shears and return to bed. He would stare at them for hours, as the light from the moon made them glisten and the soft sound of her breathing filled his ears.

He wanted to honor her wishes, but how could he? How could he dispose of the one thing that could save his true love's life? He hoped they could find a third option, but there were no guarantees. Killian had always believed in free will and people making their own choices. It was one of the reasons he had been angry with Emma for refusing to let him die in Camelot and turning him into a Dark One instead. But he understood now why she had done it and he knew he would have done the same if the situation had been reversed. And now, in a way, it was.

He had the power to go against her wishes and save Emma's life. He knew she had only said she would sacrifice her life out of a sense of duty and obligation. But she had already sacrificed so much. What good would her death do? Her family would lose her, he would lose her, and the town would still lose their Savior. Killian didn't care if Emma was the Savior. He loved her no matter what and simply wanted her to be alive to experience the future they had fought so hard for, Savior or no Savior.

But he also knew in his heart that he couldn't force this decision on her. He hadn't kept the shears to make the choice for her. He had kept them to give her that option should worst comes to worst. He knew she would be angry at him for lying and not doing as she asked, but all that mattered was saving her life.

After a few nights of torturing himself by staring at the shears in bed for hours, he had hidden them in a toolbox in the shed. Admittedly, it was not his best hiding spot, especially for a pirate well versed in concealing treasure. But he still wanted to carry it on his person everyday since he had no idea when the future would suddenly become the present. He needed to have them with him when Emma would require them. This spot provided easy access and he didn't think anyone would be going into the toolbox.

So imagine his surprise a few mornings later when, as he sat at the kitchen table sipping his morning coffee, Henry had appeared by his side and dropped the fated object onto the table. Killian had stared at it for a long moment, before lifting his gaze to Henry.

"How could you?" he said.

"How could I not?" Killian replied softly.

Henry looked into Killian's eyes and saw the love he had for his mother shining back at him. He knew the Evil Queen was just playing with his head. She wanted to drive a wedge between them. He knew how deeply Killian felt for him and his mother. He would never do anything to hurt them.

Henry sat down with a heavy sigh across from Killian.

"How did you find them?" Killian asked.

"The Evil Queen. She's trying to mess with my head and cause problems between us. She said you don't care for me or my mother. That you want to take away the one thing that makes her special."

Killian's eyes flashed with anger and his jaw tightened. "You don't believe that to be true, do you, lad?"

Henry slowly shook his head. "No, I know how much you care about us. I know you would never do anything to hurt us. I understand you're just trying to protect my mom."

Killian nodded. "Being a Savior isn't the only thing that makes your mother special. She is the strongest person I've ever met. She is brave and selfless and perseverant. She would sacrifice her life for her family, for this town. But in that battle she speaks of, she will not defeat the hooded figure. She will sacrifice her life for nothing. You will lose your mother again, her parents will lose their daughter again, and I will lose my true love again." He paused, shaking his head. "I just couldn't allow that to happen without a fight."

"What are you going to do?"

"My intention was to offer your mother the shears as a choice when she has run out of options. I never intended to use them without her permission."

"So then you could just stand by and watch her die if she still refuses to use them? You could resist using the one thing that could save her life?" Henry asked, brow furrowed.

Killian shook his head. "I would like to believe I would be strong enough, but I cannot be sure that I could stand by and allow her to perish when I have the means to prevent it. Just as your mother refused to allow me to die in Camelot, despite my wishes to suffer death rather than become a Dark One."

"So what are you going to do now then?"

"This secret has weighed heavily on me. I do not like having this lie between us as we share a home, a life, a bed. So I am going to tell your mother the truth and then I am going to hand over the shears to her. She can do with them as she pleases."

"Are you sure that's the best choice? What if she disposes of them again?" Henry asked, as panic at the thought of losing his mother crept up inside of him.

"I will plead my case for her to retain the shears as an option should all else fail. But the choice will be hers, as it should be," Killian replied softly.

...

Killian sucked in a breath when he heard the front door slam shut. Emma appeared in the doorway to the living room a moment later. A smile spread across her face at the sight of Killian. She sat down next to him, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"I don't think coming home to your handsome face will ever get old," she said.

Killian couldn't meet her eyes and offered her no response. Emma's brow furrowed in concern. She brought her hand up to his cheek.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Killian swallowed roughly and slipped his hand into his boot. He pulled the shears out and placed them down on the coffee table before them. Emma's eyes widened as she looked at the object.

"How did you get those back?" she asked.

"I never disposed of them," he replied in a whisper.

Emma eyes flashed with hurt. "You lied to me?"

Killian forced himself to meet Emma's gaze. He hated that look in her eyes.

"Aye. I'm sorry, love."

"Why, Killian?" she asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

His tongue came out to lash at his lips. "Emma, I couldn't simply dispose of the one thing that could save your life. I can't lose you, Swan. We just found each other again. We finally have a chance at the future we fought for. How could I just stand by and allow that to be stolen from us again? You did everything in your power to save my life. You even went to the Underworld. How could you believe I would do any less for you?"

Emma's face softened and she took his hand in hers. "I believe we will find a third option, Killian. We always find another way."

"And if we don't?" he asked sharply. "You will die, Emma."

Emma felt her heart freeze in her chest at the thought.

"If the shears are used, then I will no longer be the Savior," she responded softly.

"But you will be alive. Alive to be with your parents and your son...and me. Love, you already lost twenty-eight years with your parents and ten with your son. You deserve to have as much time as possible with them. Dying in that battle would take the Savior away from this town anyhow."

Emma blinked back tears. "The Savior is who I am, Killian. It took me a long time to accept it, but it's what makes me special. I spent twenty-eight years of my life feeling like I was nothing, being told I was nothing over and over again. But then Henry found me and I came to Storybrooke. And suddenly I had a purpose, people who needed me, depended on me. I felt like someone for the first time. If I give that up, then who am I?"

Killian squeezed her hand in his. "You were never nothing, Emma. You've always been special and it has absolutely nothing to do with your magic or being the Savior. You are strong and selfless and brave. You are determined and kind. That's who you are. That is what makes you special. That is the woman I fell in love with. That is the woman you've always been and always will be. Nothing can ever change that."

Emma felt her tears streaming down her cheeks now. He cupped her face in his hand, swiping at her tears with his thumb, as he pressed his lips to hers. Killian leaned his forehead against hers for a long moment before they parted.

Emma met his gaze. "So what were you planning? Were you just going to use the shears when my death was inevitable?"

Killian shook his head. "My plan was to give you the shears when that time came and offer you another option."

"Why are you telling me now then?" she asked.

Killian let out a heavy sigh. "Well, your boy learned the truth thanks to the Evil Queen, who tried to use the secret against him. He confronted me about it. And the secret was also weighing heavily on me. I know how it felt when I knew you were lying to me and I didn't want to do that to you. I don't want that kind of relationship, Emma. I don't want us to deceive each other and harbor secrets. I know we were both trying to protect the other, but we are at our best, our strongest, when we are open and honest with each other."

Emma smiled. "You're right. No more secrets. No matter what."

Killian picked up the shears and placed them in her hand. "I also realized that I couldn't be sure when the moment came that I would resist using them to save your life, despite your wishes. You went against my wishes in Camelot. You chose to save my life and turn me into a Dark One. I was angry with you for taking away my choice, but I know now I would have done the same if the situation was reversed. I would do anything to save you, Swan. But I also know this is not my choice to make. Your fate is your own."

"Aren't you worried I'll just dispose of them again?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, as her eyes scanned his face.

He bobbed his head. "Aye, but I hope you will consider what I've said. If you wish to give your life, Emma, then do it because it is what you feel in your heart is right. Do it because it is what you want. Please, love, don't do it out of a sense of obligation or duty. Don't do it because you fear what life will be like if you are no longer the Savior. You can still protect this town, help it, even without your Savior status. And you can be with the people you love. You can't do any of those things, Swan, if you meet your demise."

Emma stared at the shears and nodded. "Okay, I'll think about it."

"Thank you," he whispered.

Emma stuck the shears in her pocket and then managed a smile. She decided it would be best to change the subject.

"I met someone who knows you today."

Killian quirked an eyebrow. "And who is that?"

"Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

Killian felt his jaw tighten. "Aye, he once held me captive on his ship."

Emma's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, he made it sound as if you two were friends."

Killian shrugged. "We came to an understanding. He only wished to help me."

"Help you how?" she asked.

He met her eyes. "Fill the void in my heart left by Milah. Left by the family I lost."

"How did he hope to do that?"

Killian swallowed against the lump in his throat. "He had my half brother, Liam, aboard his ship. Liam had asked him to find me so we could finally become the family we were meant to be."

"What happened?" Emma asked.

She saw the shame and guilt appear in his eyes. "My brother did not wish to be my family. He only wished to seek revenge against me for killing our father and, as a result, causing him to be sold into slavery, just as I had been. Nemo was unaware of this until Liam tried to kill me aboard his ship."

Emma placed her hand over his. "I am so sorry, Killian."

Killian shook his head sharply. "I deserved it, Swan. I took our father from him when he was just a boy. I knew what it felt like to grow up without a father and yet I chose to do the same thing to him. And, because of that, he was sentenced to life as a slave, just as I was. I tried to make amends for I had long harbored regrets, but it was of no use. He was determined to end my life. Nemo helped save me. I owe him my life. But then Liam targeted him for helping me and preventing him from getting his revenge. I believe that's why Nemo ended up in the Land of Untold Stories."

Emma brought her hand up and stroked the hair at the nape of his neck. "I know it's hard to live with the things you've done, Killian, but you're not that man anymore."

"Aye, love. But it made me believe even more firmly that I would never again fill that part of my heart. I would never again have a family or love. And I believed I deserved my fate."

Emma smiled sweetly at him. "But you were wrong. You found love again. You found me. We found each other. And you have a family now. You, me, Henry. My parents and brother, too. Maybe we can even expand that family one day. You changed for the better, Killian, and you deserve everything you have in your life now."

Killian met her eyes, his unsend tears shining back at her. "But for how long?"

"Killian," Emma whispered.

"Swan, if I lose you, then I lose my happy ending and it will create a hole in my heart so wide that it can never hope to be filled. I know your boy and your parents would be kind to me, they would try to include me. But I wouldn't be a part of their family. Not truly. Not without you." He paused and swallowed hard. "I would be right back where I started when I first stepped foot in this town."

"That's not true, Killian, because you're not the same man you were then."

"Losing my first love turned me into a man I hated. There's no telling what losing my true love will do to me," he replied softly.

Emma felt her heart break at the pain in his eyes. She wanted to take it away. She wanted to tell him that she would use the shears to save her life, but she wasn't there yet. And she had promised him no more lies.

She pressed a kiss to his cheek and then nuzzled it with her nose. "Even if you don't believe it, I do. You will never return to the man you once were, Killian."

She then placed her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her. He held her tightly, hoping he would have years and years of moments like this with her.

As they sat there in silence, they hoped against hope that they would get the chance to be the family they were always meant to be.

...THE END...

Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate it if you could take a moment to let me know what you thought. ~Steph


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